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ADDRESS 

AT THE CELEBRATION OF 

THE TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIFTH 

ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING 

OF CAMBRIDGE 

Sanders Theatre, Dec. 21, 1905 

BY 

CHARLES V^ILLIAM ELIOT 



[Reprinted from Proceedings of The Cambridge 
Historical Society, I] 



f£i'23 1918 



ADDRESS OF CHARLES WILLIAM ELIOT 

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Schoolgirls and Schoolboys, 
AND Members of the Cambridge Historical Society: 

I SUPPOSE that one of the reasons I have been able to do some 
small part of the work which Mr. Dana was good enough to 
describe in such ample phrase is that I have lived in Cambridge 
for fifty-six years, longer than most persons in this room have 
lived. Now, Cambridge is a good place in which to study, not 
only the history of the American people, but the history and de- 
velopment of their ideals ; and if a man wants to learn what the 
leading ideas of the American people have been he cannot live in a 
better place than Cambridge. 

I heard Mr. James F. Rhodes, one of the most distinguished his- 
torical writers of to-day, saying to a small company of gentlemen 
a few weeks ago that James Russell Lowell had a clearer view of 
the quality of the American people, a more perfect sympathy with 
them, a better appreciation and understanding of their gifts, ways, 
and hopes than any other American of the nineteenth century ex- 
cept Abraham Lincoln. Now, James Russell Lowell was born 
here, passed almost the whole of his life here, — the whole of it 
except when he was in Europe on eminent public service, — wrote 
here, and died here. For him Cambridge was that " pleasant and 
accommodate place " which it was for the infant College. Here he 
drank in the New England landscape. Here he learned to love 
the New England birds, the marshes of the Charles, and the ample 
scope of field, grove, and sky. Here he learned to love the people 
of New England, and to compi^ehend both their past and their 
future. 

Why has Cambridge been so good a place to teach Americanism ? 
Partly because it was founded for the magnificent purpose which 
Dr. McKenzie has described. Hither men came across the sea, 
under brave leadership, and with superb ideals, seeking freedom 
to worship God ; and here they stayed to found a commonwealth 
and to build up their modest fortunes. They sought first the King- 
dom of God, but other things " pleasant and accommodate " were 
added to them; and this Commonwealth became the most truly 
prosperous and the happiest community in the civilized world. 



42 THE CAMBRIDGE HISTOEICAL SOCIETY [Dec. 

So Cambridge has been a good place for the College to grow up. 
But the College has returned in some measure these blessings, 
these favors from the town and the province. What characterizes 
the Cambridge of to-day in regard to its material possessions and 
resources? Moderation. There is not a rich man in Cambridge 
according to the standard of the times, not one. Plenty of people 
in comfortable circumstances, well-to-do, but not one rich man! 
What are the best houses in Cambridge to-day ? Those that were 
built more than a hundred years ago. Our standard of living has 
remained simple and moderate ; substantial, if you please, but 
plain. Now, the College has helped to that good end. Here have 
lived huncbeds of men full of thought, and courage, and high pur- 
pose, but living simple Hves. The presence of these men, genera- 
tion after generation, has helped to characterize the place, has 
served to determine, in large measure, its quality ; has made it 
wise, and strong, and simple. 

This is a great service to be rendered to any community. It is 
a service which becomes more and more precious as the republic 
develops. Let us hope that this service will continue to be ren- 
dered by the University to the growing city and the growing State. 

We cannot help but look forward with some anxiety to the 
future of Cambridge, because of the prodigious change in the 
nature of its population. The Puritans no longer control Cam- 
bridge ; the suffrage is no longer hmited to members of the Puritan 
church. Many races are mixed in our resident population. I 
visited not long ago a public kindergarten in Putnam Avenue. 
Among twenty-two children on the floor there were eight different 
nationahties ; and the loveHest of the children was a little Russian 
Jewess. But let us look forward with good courage and with the 
hope and expectation that the same ideals which led the Pilgrims 
and the Puritans across the sea, the same ideals to which the 
people of this Commonwealth have held for two hundred and sev- 
enty years, will still guide the people of Massachusetts, mixed or 
conglomerate as they may become. They look back to various 
pasts, but may they look forward to one and the same future of 
public freedom, justice, and happiness. 





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